Candidates can file nominations online in Lok Sabha 2014

Ranchi: Candidates for the Lok Sabha elections would be able to e-file their nominations and affidavits, in a move aimed to bring about faster dissemination of information about the candidates, Election Commissioner HS Brahma said on Saturday.

The e-filing, a web-based form, would be in addition to filing the nomination in paper form. The Election Commission will soon ask the government to modify the current rules to make e-filing mandatory.

"This move of the ECI holds the potential to accelerate the process of dissemination of information regarding the criminal, financial, educational and other background details of candidates contesting elections," said a press release of the 10th Annual Conference on Electoral and Political Reforms.

The election commissioner also launched a citizen reporting tool - Election Watch Reporter, an android based application developed by the National Election Watch.

Election officials in this file photo. PTI

Brahma recommended that it be used by the election commission in the upcoming polls to keep a check on malpractices like bribing of voters (by liquor distribution, cash etc)and excessive spending by candidates.

The tool will enable citizens to capture photographic evidence (with precise GPS location and time) of any wrongdoing in and around elections and report it instantaneously to the nearest election commission observers, said the statement.

There are around 1,600 registered political parties in the country, but only a few have contested elections regularly. The conference was organised by National Election Watch (NEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).